Into the Danger Zone
by McJinx64
Summary: Former government agent Raymond 'Red' Reddington has eluded capture for ages but he suddenly surrenders to the FBI with an offer to help catch criminals, thieves and terrorists under the condition that he works only with Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Keen, a young FBI profiler who's just barely out of Quantico. Lizzie learns about Tom's betrayal and what is his relationship with Gina?
1. Chapter 1

Into The Danger Zone

_**Beep…beep…beep…beep…beep…**_

Consciousness slowly came over Lizzie as the buzzer of her alarm clock rang annoyingly on the night stand. Groaning in displeasure, she leaned over and hit it off with the palm of her hand. Pulling the bedding over her head in a relaxing sigh, she instinctively reached for Tom but when she met his cold pillow, she remembered their fight and the fact that Tom had actually acted on the idea to spent some time apart. Lizzie drew in a sharp breath through her nose, slipping from under the covers and immediately stumbling into the bathroom for her morning shower. Standing under the spray, her thoughts gradually drifted away. Was her marriage over? _No…don't go there_! Lizzie clenched her teeth and pushed the thought of a life without Tom from her head and soon, she was pondering about organizing another day at the job. Despite her wandering thoughts, Lizzie slowly began to feel the cleansing water's soothing sensation on her naked skin, allowing the warmth of the water to relax her body. She became aware of the moist air, smelled the flowery scent of her shampoo as she massaged it into her scalp and took in the aroma of her body soap as she washed away the remnants of the night. When she stepped out of the shower about ten minutes later, she felt clean, refreshed and ready to greet another day.

…

As Elizabeth Keen parked her car at the FBI's parking lot an hour later, she immediately recognized Raymond Reddington's car. She softly muttered under her breath; after fighting her way through two major traffic jams, she really wasn't in the mood for Raymond Reddington's usual attitude. Lizzie got out of her car, took her briefcase from the passenger's side and hurried up to the tall building. Agent Kessler was waiting for her in the lobby, frowning fiercely, 'You're late Keen…we've been waiting for you!'

Elizabeth arched an apologetic smile, 'I'm glad to see you too Donald! And I'm truly sorry for being late but traffic was hell!'

When they entered the assistant Director's office, Harold Cooper impatiently shifted in his mahogany leather chair, the sunlight streaming in through the blinds at the window behind him, casting a soft glow over the room. The glow extended to the face of Raymond Reddington who's eyes met Lizzie's with his usual penetrating gaze. His gaze pierced her as usual but instantly changed from an irresistible steel into a flowery charm.

'Ah…there's my girl…finally!'

Elizabeth Keen smiled hesitantly and glanced at Red from under her lowered lids; Raymond 'Red' Reddington was definitely the most dangerous man she had ever met but the slight hint of laughter lines bracketing his mouth also suggested character. His eyes had undeniable depths to them but she often questioned herself; were they depths of experience or depths of pain?

Lizzie's thoughts were rudely interrupted when Assistant Director Cooper turned to her, his tone slightly sarcastic, 'Good morning, agent Keen. Glad you could join us.' Cooper paused a moment before continuing, 'Reddington? I guess you're here to tell us the next name on the Blacklist?'

Red slowly propped his elbows on the arm's chairs and made a bridge of his fingertips, 'I'm afraid that's _**not**_ the case…' His gaze shifted to the wall behind Lizzie for a moment before he continued, 'I'm afraid Lizzie is in danger!'

'In danger from what?' Cooper said stolidly.

'I'm afraid Anslo Garrick spilled the beans about my special interest in Agent Keen… in order to keep her safe, I need to get her away from this place as far as possible!'

Elizabeth stared at Red in mute surprise, but he could almost see the storm cloud that was slowly gathering behind her eyes. Harold Cooper folded his hands on his desk and leaned slightly forward. 'Agent Keen is an FBI agent and I'm confident to say, we have the ample means to keep her safe!' Red and Cooper started a heated discussion about safety and breaches and for a moment Elizabeth held her breath until_…'RED! SIR!_

Lizzie felt heat spread across her face as she interrupted Red and Cooper's heated discussion.

'What is it Lizzie?' Red asked innocently while Assistant Director Cooper clenched his teeth and glared at her. For a brief moment, there was an awkward silence but then Elizabeth took in a deep breath, '…I don't like it when other people decide what's good for me…'

'I don't like it either…,' Red interrupted her, '….but circumstances are what they are Lizzie. Believe me when I say, you're not safe here!'

Elizabeth had just opened her mouth to reply when sirens started blaring, followed by a thunderous explosion that shook the walls. Cooper cursed and immediately grabbed his phone while Donald Ressler turned to the surveillance monitors that overlooked the FBI's building. At the Parking Lot the situation was chaotic and surreal. There was a lot of blood and people were dragging others away from where the blast had happened. One agent tried to pick up his partner but as he lifted him and was trying to walk him away, it appeared his partner's leg wasn't connected, it was dangling.

…

The bomb that had killed 6 FBI-agents and injured a dozen more, was the simplest of sorts. Twenty-five sticks of dynamite had been wrapped with gray duct tape under a parked VW van. It had exploded to cause a diversion. In the chaos that followed the explosion, Gina Zanetakos had managed to get away from her guards. That morning, she had been brought to the Post-Office for questioning and when she was brought outside to be transferred back to prison, the bomb had exploded.

'OK, I have to ask this…,' Cooper said solemnly. 'Reddington…do you know who has planted this bomb?' Red threw his head back and laughed amusingly but then he adamantly shook his head, 'No Harold…not every bomb that explodes has _my_ name on it!' Cooper shuffled uncomfortable in this seat. He glanced briefly at Kessler, 'I want the highest security levels!' Donald nodded and grabbed his cell to place the order.

'What do you think will happen now? Lizzie asked flatly. 'Who has something to gain if Gina Zanetakos) hits the streets again?'

'Well, I know of one person…,' Red said softly, referring to Tom being Gina's lover, but he immediately closed his mouth when Lizzie's glared angrily at him. Reddington chuckled amusingly but then contemplated Harold Cooper for a long, silent moment, then he nodded, 'Do you have a surveillance tape?'

Lizzie, Red and Cooper watched numbly as Donald Kessler got up and inserted a DVD into the player, pressing 'PLAY'. As they watched the footage of that morning, Lizzie felt a hollow feeling in her stomach, as she realized there was more to come. Much more…

…

The first news of the bombing at the FBI Headquarters came half an hour into Tom's flight back to Washington DC. He sat in a row of three and saw the news immediately after he'd switched on his seatback screen. A faint smile graced the corners of his lips as he switched off the screen and grabbed a magazine.

Tom Keen had used his excellent knowledge of the English language to pursue a career in teaching. As a graduate from Washington State University, his mom couldn't have been prouder.

'Beverages Sir?'

Tom looked up, 'Yeah, coffee please. Cream, hold the sugar.'

The flight attendant handed Tom a cup of coffee, a plastic spoon and two creamers. He took a sip and closed his eyes with a relaxing sigh. Just a few more hours and he was back in Washington; the capital city where the love of his life was waiting for him!

…


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

**Chapter 2**

Lizzie woke up and stretched her arms out, still looking a bit sleepy. She sighed happily as she felt an arm tighten around her waist as Tom pulled her closer to him. She glanced over her shoulder at his peaceful face, her face slowly slipping into a smile. Recalling the somewhat blurry events of the previous night, she remembered Tom regretting his decision to spend some time apart. After his arrival at the teachers' conference in Orlando, he had realized their separation was a mistake so he had taken the 'Red-Eye' home. Lizzie remembered how they had talked until Tom had taken her hands in his, leading her upstairs. What had happened there made her blush even now. Never had they made love so utterly…so completely. Even now, Lizzie wondered if it all had been a dream but she knew better when Tom's hand accidently brushed her nipples, hardening them instantly. She nestled in his arms and felt the hardness of his morning erection.

'Morning,' Tom whispered softly. 'I'm glad things are back to normal between us!'

'Me too,' Lizzie whispered back.

She felt Tom's lips scattering soft kisses over her bare back and shoulders and moaned softly as she felt his hand run softly over her breasts, cupping and kneading them gently. The sun broke in through the blinds, casting a soft orange glow over their bedroom.

'Tom?' Lizzie whispered.

'Yes?'

'I love you.'

'Mmm'.

Lizzie gasped as Tom rolled her onto her back, nudging her legs apart and slowly pushing into her warm, moist depths.

'Ahhh…yes!' Lizzie moaned breathlessly.

Tom groaned, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he kept thrusting slowly into her.

'Mmm…faster,' Lizzie pleaded slightly out of breath.

'I'm with you Liz...come with me!'

Lizzie whimpered softly as she felt the tremors of a rising climax shuddering through her body. Tom moaned into her ear as they finally peaked together. Later, they lay entwined as they watched the sun climb higher in the sky.

'We still need to talk,' Lizzie said softly.

'Yeah later…let's just enjoy this moment together,' Tom whispered into her hair.

Finally, getting out of bed, Lizzie looked back down on Tom, 'I'm glad you're home.'

'Me too,' Tom smiled.

**…**

Fresh from her morning shower, Lizzy stepped back into the bedroom. Tom had fallen back asleep and she watched him for a moment when she heard the phone rang in the living room. She grabbed her clothes and tiptoed out of the room, hurrying downstairs.

'Hello?'

'Lizzie!' The sound of Red's familiar voice rang into Lizzie's ears.

'Red…?'

'We need to talk Lizzie. Can we meet?'

'Er…'

'It's urgent Lizzie. I'll come and get you. We'll go for a drive and find somewhere quiet to talk. Be there in ten…_beep…beep…beep…'_

Lizzie rolled her eyes and put down the phone. Red had never given her a chance to decline. Whatever…he wouldn't take no for an answer anyway. Lizzie quickly got dressed, wrote a note for Tom and left the house. Her attempt to hide her sleep deprived eyes had been a task too much for her make up skills so she wore sunglasses.

Dembé had parked Red's Jag around the corner and in the back, Red patiently waited for Lizzie. He sighted her almost immediately as she rounded the corner and was once again struck at how vulnerable and young she looked; vulnerable but headstrong. Remorse and regret was hardly in Red's nature but a clamp tightened around his heart regretting the pain he was about to cause her.

Jumping out of the Jag, Dembé rushed around to open the car door for Lizzie. She got in and Dembé began to drive. For a while, they drove without speaking; Lizzie and Red each lost in thought but still acutely aware of the presence of the other. Arriving at Dupont Park, Dembé pulled off the road, parking under the shady bows of a Norfolk pine overlooking the Anacostia river.

Red and Lizzie got out of the car and walked down a dirt road, when Red suddenly turned towards her.

'…I fear for your life Lizzie'

Elizabeth swallowed hard as Red's warm concerned voice enveloped her and she looked at him, almost unable to hide the uneasy feeling that suddenly gripped her.

'Who would harm me…I'm nobody?'

Red shook his head and stared at her, narrowing his eyes and Lizzie felt a new kind of unease under his screen scrutiny.

'Where is your husband Lizzie?'

Lizzie stiffened, realizing Red referred to Tom, being the threat to her life.

'Don't go there…please don't!' She tried to brush past Reddington, but his large hand clamped onto her arm, holding her fast. Lizzie's temper spiked. 'Let go of me!'

Red let go but watched her, his expression intent.

'Lizzie, I just wanna keep you safe!' Red said fiercely. Elizabeth turned to walk away but Red caught hold of her wrist and held it in a vicelike grip. Elizabeth stared at Red, shocked at the angry look radiating from his steel blue eyes.

'Listen to me…your husband is dangerous!'

'GO TO HELL!'

Lizzie pulled her arm away from Red's grip and started walking back to the road. Dembé started the engine and Red clenched his teeth harder, then harder, so hard that it felt they might shatter. Lizzie walked past the Jag so Red called out her name.

'LIZZIE?'

'Don't bother…I'm taking a cab!'

For a while, Red stood under the pine tree, slouched slightly forward and saying nothing. Eventually Dembé got out of the car. He opened the back door of the car and stood there, waiting for Red to get in.

**…**

Lizzie had taken a cab back home to get dressed for work. Arriving at Cooper's office, she took a deep breath before entering. The office was dimly lit, illuminated only by the sun that shone in through the blinds. Her eyes quickly scanned the room but she could feel Red's presence before she had actually laid eyes on him. As usual, he was watching her and for several moments, they simply looked at each other but then his face broke into a smile.

'Hello Lizzie!'

'You were telling Reddington…the next name on the Blacklist?' Harold Cooper said impatiently.

'Ah…yes,' Red said, '…Valentin Smirkov…very dangerous, very deadly!'

'Never heard of him,' Ressler said, while slightly hunching his shoulders.

'That doesn't mean, he doesn't exist, agent Ressler,' Red said amusingly. 'Valentin Smirkov is primarily responsible for intelligence and terrorist actions inside our borders…and today we have a chance of catching him!'

Harold Cooper shifted in his seat and picked up his phone, 'We face a domestic threat today. I want a surveillance team ready by the gate in an hour!'

Red nodded and motioned everyone to gather around Coopers' desk. He pulled a thick plastic file from the briefcase Dembé was holding and flipped it open, pulling out a number of maps, papers and photographs. Over the next hour, Red explained how to identify Smirkov and capturing methods.

Cooper nodded, 'All means at our disposal will be used to neutralize this thread permanently! Ressler, Malik, you are Alpha team. You will serve as on-the-ground eyes and ears for this operation. Omaha team, you will implement Keen and Reddington! Aram, you and the remaining team here support them. You keep track of the operation and report back to me. Is everyone clear on their mission?

'Yes Sir.'

…

_**To be continued...**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The ride to the meeting point was mostly silent but hardly in a comfortable way; Red was stoically reading his newspaper while Lizzie was staring at the road ahead, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

'How do you know Smirkov is in town,' she finally said, casting a sideways glance at Red.

Red chuckled heartily while he turned to her, folding his newspaper, 'Lizzie…Lizzie…don't you know me a little bit better by now; Valentin Smirkov let _me_ know he was in town. He wanted to discuss…er…business!'

'Ofcourse,' Lizzie whispered, adopting a 'I should have known' expression on her face while Dembé entered an abandoned parking lot adjacent to an old warehouse.

'Why are we stopping here?' Lizzie said while she glanced around. Red briefly bit his lip but said nothing. He got out and walked around the car to open the door on her side, helping her out. Lizzie sighed but got out of the car while Dembé opened the trunk, withdrawing a Smith &amp; Wesson .357.

'What are you doing?' Liz hissed but Red suddenly pulled her behind a stack of wooden crates because the front door of the warehouse opened and a woman stepped outside. Lizzie gasped and pointed but Red forced her hand down, pinning it to her side.

'Don't let her see you!' Red whispered, grabbing a handful of Lizzie's coat, pulling her to his side.

'Sorry…but that was Gina Zanetakos,' Lizzie murmured, lowering her head.

'Dembé,' Red whispered, '…go 'round the back and find out if _he's_ here too?'

Before Lizzie had a chance to ask whom Red was referring to, he covered her mouth rather roughly with one hand, dragging her backwards but his action was too late cause Lizzie had recognized the man stepping out of the warehouse.

'Are you gonna keep quiet?' Red whispered, breathing hard, his hand still cupped tightly over her mouth. Lizzie nodded and Red slowly removed his hand.

'That's Tom…b…but he's supposed to be at home…sleeping,' Lizzie stammered.

'Maybe's, he's lost,' Red whispered cynically but Lizzie didn't even hear him. She saw how Tom wrapped his arms around Gina's waist and tenderly kissed her neck.

…

_Dembé ran quietly using abandoned cars and trees for cover. Red had asked him to check if Agent Keen's husband was there. Well, he would only need about five minutes or so to make sure. He crept quietly to a side door listening intently for any sounds. Hearing nothing, he carefully pushed down the door handle. Dembé breathed in deeply, calming himself before he moved forward into the dim darkness of the warehouse. For a moment he paused giving his eyes time to adjust. Once adjusted, he could see clearly all the way to the back wall. The warehouse was as good as empty, except for a large matrass in the corner and a desk . Dembé opened its drawer, stuck his hand inside and pulled out a Glock 22 and a passport with a photo of Agent Keen's husband on it. Dembé put the items back, quietly closing the drawer. He then snug outside to inform Red but on his way to the Jag, he spotted Agent Keen, who ran as though her life depended on it._

…

Lizzie noticed Red's lips moving but she couldn't make out what he was saying; everything around her was turning cold. This is how one must feel when death is near, she thought absently. _Red had been right…Red had been right_! The thought ran through her head like a mantra. How could she have been so stupid? She had been married to Tom for two years without noticing anything. How could she have been so gullible…?

_I need to get of here_! Ignoring Red's warnings, Lizzy got up and started running back to Red's car. When, she was half way, she stumbled but quick hands caught her before she fell to the ground.

'Agent Keen?'.

'Get me out of here, Dembé…please?' Lizzie turned her head, sucking from the pain that suddenly shot through her ankle.

'Lizzie…are you OK?' Red's husky voice came from near.

'Yes…No, my ankle…' Lizzie moved her head and ended up, pressing it against Dembé's chest because the pain shot through her ankle again; so sharp this time, it made her nauseous.

'Dembé will carry you to the car, ' Red said calmly.

'Where's T…where are _they_?' Lizzie softly said.

'Don't worry…they're back inside,' Red said quickly while he nodded to Dembé. Dembé picked her up as if she was a feather, carrying her to Red's Jag and carefully dropping her in the back seat.

Red carefully removed Lizzie's boot and started examining her injured ankle, 'It's just a sprain…in a couple of day's you'll be as good as new !' he assured her.

'Red,' Lizzie choked out, forgetting the pain in her ankle. 'Why is this happening?' Tears sprang to her eyes and she sagged into Red's arms, all anger replaced by overwhelming sadness.

Red held Lizzie and stroked her hair as she cried.

…

Red called Donald Ressler to meet him in at The Postoffice and then called Harold, asking him to meet there as well. When Ressler laid eyes on Red, he immediately started yelling.

'WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU? AND WHERE IS KEEN?'

Ignoring Ressler's questions, Red turned to Harold Cooper asking, 'Did you get Valentin Smirkov?'

'Yes, we did!' Ressler said before the Assistant Director had a chance to reply. Ressler clenched his teeth but started to sound a bit calmer now, 'Where is Keen?'

Red sighed deeply, knowing he shouldn't do what he was about to do but knowing, he was going to anyway.

'All I'm going to say is this! I swear I was not lying when I told you Lizzie was in danger. This morning, when you were catching Valentin Smirkov, I showed her that her loving husband is not the man, he's claiming to be! I am here because I need…no, I want you to give me _time_!' Red said slowly, putting an emphasis on time.

'Time for what?' Harold Cooper said.

Red spun round and glared at Cooper, 'Time to persuade Lizzie to cooperate so we can catch the person who is no. 1 on The Blacklist!'

…


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Jon Bokenkamp &amp; NBC; all rights reserved . This fanfic is a work of fiction. It details my own imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental._

_It would be nice to get some feedback about this story so if you could spare a minute and review this chapter, I would be grateful ;-) All comments are welcome. I'm sure they will help me become a better writer! Have a nice weekend!_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Dembé pulled out of The Post office' parking lot right into bumper to bumper traffic on Dupont Circle. Red sighed audibly and as they sat through the light at Congress for the third time, he retrieved his cell and punched one of the speed dial buttons, 'Edward…it's me! Fuel her up, will you...no, I'll tell you our destination in the morning…OK…Bye!' For a moment, Red hesitated but then he made a decision and called Ressler…_no answer_! Red bit his bottom lip but then the light turned green and Dembé pushed the accelerator, flooring it. A cabby blew his horn and flipped them the bird but Red grinned and waved friendly at the cab driver as Dembé smoothly steered the Jag down Independence Avenue. A miraculous half hour later, they pulled off Mac Arthur Boulevard into Red's parking garage.

Lizzie leaned her head back as Red carefully rubbed some strange smelling ointment on her bruised ankle. He used his free hand to push her jeans slightly upward and Lizzie closed her eyes as he dapped a small gash on her knee. When he placed a band-aid on it, she opened her eyes and found Red's face inches away from hers. Almost unnoticeably, she inhaled his scent. It was nice; minty with a hint of an expensive aftershave.

'Red…What about T..Tom?' Lizzie's voice cracked.

'Ssst…'Red soothed her. 'I'll tell agent Ressler to inform Tom you won't come home tonight; some kind of undercover mission!

Lizzie nodded and let Red pull her up from the couch. To her surprise her ankle did not hurt as much as before but she gratefully accepted Red's elbow when he offered to guide her upstairs, 'Take a shower Lizzie…I'm sure you'll feel better afterwards!'

'I'd love to,' Lizzie sighed.

'This way…,' Red pointed down the hallway. 'The bathroom's connected to the guestroom!'

The guest room at the end of the hallway was massive. In the middle stood a queen size canopy bed with furry blankets and next to a luxurious lounge chair was a cosy fire burning in the open fireplace. There was an array of doors and Red opened the one next to the fireplace. The luxurious bathroom was spacious with a large tub and a walk-in shower. Someone had placed a fresh set of towels on the toilet seat and Lizzie even noticed some clean clothes next to the sink.

'Can you manage?' Red asked worriedly. 'I can call Mr. Kaplan if you need help showering?'

'No, I'm sure I'll manage,' Lizzie brought out, grabbing the sink for support.

'Ok…I'll see you in the morning…try to get some sleep! 'Red said while quietly closing the door behind him.

_Just breathe_, Lizzie thought to herself while her grip on the sink turned her knuckles white. She let go, quickly undressed and stumbled into the shower. Her fingers turned the faucet and warm water started spewing from the large shower head. Lizzie stepped under the spray, letting the hot water pound on her back. She closed her eyes and desperately tried to push away the memory of Tom kissing Gina Zanetakos but she failed miserably. Soon sobs took over and she heaved forward into wrenching cries. Her hands glided along the tiles of the shower and she slowly sank down to the shower floor.

_Why?_

It seemed such a simple word but it was all Lizzie could think of; the only word forming in her head. Fresh tears mixed with hot water and it felt as if her heart shattered into a million pieces. Everyone who had ever loved her was dead and the man, she thought was the love of her life had betrayed her in the worse possible way…_but why_?

Dembé softly knocked on Red's bedroom door and opened it, 'Raymond, I'm sorry I have to disturb you.'

'Mmm….what is it, Dembé?' Red mumbled sleepily reaching for the lamp on his nightstand.

'It's Agent Keen…her shower has been on for an hour and a half now…I tried knocking but the bathroom door is locked and there's no answer,' Dembé explained.

Red was alert and out of his bed in seconds. 'It's OK Dembé…I've got this…thanks for waking me, my friend!'

Dembé nodded and closed the bedroom door while Red put on a black velvet bathrobe before hurrying to the guest bedroom. The door was open but like Dembé said; the shower was still running and the bathroom door was locked.

'Lizzie…everything OK in there?' Red called out while he knocked loudly on the bathroom door.

_No answer._

Red's heart started hammering in his chest at the possibilities of what could have happened to Lizzie and he pounded even harder on the door.

_Damned_, he swore. 'Lizzie, if you don't open this door right away, I'm breaking it down.'

_Still no answer._

Red tried the knob one more time before throwing his entire weight against the door. The second time, the frame splintered easily and the door flew open. Heading forward, Red noticed the shower had gone cold. Quickly, turning off the faucet, he looked down on Lizzie, half- sitting, half-lying on the shower floor. Squatting down, Red reached out a hand to her shivering shoulder. At the touch of his hand, her head shot up; her eyes, red rimmed from crying. Red sighed and sat down next to her.

'Ah…sweetheart,' he softly whispered.

A fresh tear trickled down Lizzie's cheek and she did not object when Red moved his arms around her pulling her onto his lap and holding her securely against his chest. Holding her so close, he whispered reassuring words as she continued to shake in his arms.

'It…hurts,' she whispered weakly.

'I know sweetie, I know…but I have you,' Red nodded while he gently pushed a wet strain from her face.

Lizzie shivered and Red stretched out to grab a large towel, wrapping it around Lizzie.

'Come on…you'll catch pneumonia on this cold floor!' Red gently lifted Lizzie and carried her back to the bedroom, placing her in the bed and covering her up.

'I'm sorry,' Lizzie mumbled, 'I didn't mean to behave like this.' As she looked away, her eyes refusing to meet Red's, he placed a finger under her chin, gently moving her face towards him, forcing her to look at him.

'Do you trust me?' Red asked, his voice firm but gentle. He could see fresh tears welling up in Lizzie's eyes again but she slowly nodded.

'Then you have to stay on board, Lizzie…just think of your dad! He wouldn't want you to give up,' Red said. 'I promise you, everything will be alright…and eventually you _**will**_ learn the truth!

Lizzie nodded and Red tucked her in, making sure she was comfortable. 'Now…get some sleep…we'll have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow!'

The pilot greeted them early the next morning, 'Morning, I'm Edward and I will be your pilot! We should arrive at our destination in about twelve hours, so sit back and relax!' Dembé helped Lizzie get into the plane as she gave Red a quizzical look. Red mouthed _relax_ and after rolling her eyes, Lizzie nodded to acknowledge she understood. She walked to a seat in the back of the plane and sat down. She could hear Red and the pilot talking but didn't really pay attention. She was still too tired and too hurt. Grabbing a bottle of water from her hand luggage, she swallowed two Tylenol. Lying her chair back as far as she could, she promptly fell asleep. When the plane was in the sky, Red unbuckled his seatbelt and walked to the back to grab a blanket. He covered Lizzie with it and carefully pushed a strand of hair from her face. His brows drew together as he studied her for a few minutes, hating what she had to endure. Lizzie slept almost during the entire flight but when the plane hit an air pocket, it dipped like a roller coaster and the rough bounces woke her with a start.

'Well…good evening, sleeping beauty,' Red smiled as Lizzie slowly raised her head. 'Did you sleep well?'

'I guess,' Lizzie nodded, still a bit groggy. She opened her mouth to ask Red where they were when the voice of the pilot sounded through the intercom: 'Good evening lady and gentlemen…this is your pilot speaking. We have arrived at Bora Bora and will be landing shortly. Please buckle your seatbelts for safety!'

Lizzie stepped out onto the top of the mobile staircase that had been pushed up to the door of the airplane. _Wow…_ she thought as she surveyed her surroundings. Although, it was getting dark soon, she could still make out the white sandy beaches and crystal-clear water. Red followed Lizzie down the staircase, immediately walking over to a group of waiting men, giving everyone a big hug.

'_Bonjour les amis, comment faites-vous?' _

Dembé was busy stowing their luggage onto a Jeep when Lizzie climbed into the back. When Red was done, greeting his friends, he gave Dembé directions and they drove off into the night.

The doors of the overwater bungalow stood open and a sea breeze flooded the room with a salty aroma. The bungalow had been thoroughly cleaned and the sheets emitted the faint odour of fresh-laundering, but the vase of fresh cut flowers standing on the carved wooden night stand conveyed the commanding scent of the room. Lizzie stood outside on the wooden deck, looking out over the Muri lagoon. Despite the darkness, the view was breath-taking but Lizzie's mind was too wrapped up to notice.

'Lizzie…by now, I know you long enough to know when you're happy, when you're sad or confused, or scared, 'Red said softly when he stepped out on the wooden deck behind her…'And now I sense, you're sad!'

'Damn it Red, you're so omniscient that you make me angry!' Did your antenna pick up on that emotion too? I AM ANGRY! You hear me? ANGRY!'

'Of course you're angry Lizzie…but Tom's not worth being angry about, 'Red said calmly but intently. 'Tom Keen of whatever his name is…will eventually get what is coming to him!'

Lizzie whirled around and faced Red, 'You know…I truly wish you hadn't come into my life!' With that message, Lizzie turned around to walk back into the bungalow. Red grabbed her arm and forced her to face him.

'Listen to me Lizzie!'

As Lizzie swung around, her left hand lashed out in a reflex and she hit Red on the side of his face. The wedding band she was still wearing, caught him right under the eye leaving a red scratch. Red grabbed Lizzie's offending hand and held both her arms behind her back so she couldn't strike him again. Lizzie started squirming and twisting, trying to get away from Red's firm grasp but he refused to let her go until she promised she wouldn't hit him again. When Lizzie nodded in agreement, Red slowly released her arms. Lizzie rushed back into the bungalow and Red grimaced when he heard the glass vase shattering as Lizzie smashed it against the wall.

'Feeling better?' he grinned as he stepped back into the bungalow, carefully stepping over the broken pieces of the vase and the scattered flowers petals around the room.

Lizzie stood in the middle of all that chaos; spinning around to snap at Red again but then her eyes fell on the small stream of blood that was running down his face.

'Oh…you're bleeding!'

Lizzie rushed to the bathroom to get a wet cloth. Red sighed and slowly sank down on the bed; luckily, Lizzie had come to her senses despite the agony she suffered. He had thought about making it easier for her by bridging distance between them but he just couldn't. He always felt so surrounded by her warmth and indomitable spirit and in some way, she reminded him so much of…_her_!

Lizzie returned and carefully dabbed at the blood trickling down his Red's cheek.

'I'm sorry I hit you Red,' she softly said. 'I shouldn't blame Tom's deceit on you. Our marriage was not real…it never was!'

'Apology accepted,' Red answered, slinging his arm around Lizzie, 'Come on…let's get some sleep. We'll have a big day ahead tomorrow!'

* * *

_To be continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: Jon Bokenkamp &amp; NBC; all rights reserved . This fanfic is a work of fiction. It details my own imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental._

Chapter 5

Early next morning Lizzie woke by the sound of seagulls screaming outside and waves dashing against the pillars of the overwater bungalow. For a bewildered moment, she didn't register where she was but then she remembered Red flying them out to Bora Bora for business and to get her away from Tom.

_Tom_…Lizzie's thoughts automatically drifted to him. Her gullibility where he was concerned still left a bitter taste in her mouth. So…her marriage had been a hoax but what was done, was done. Crying about it wouldn't change a thing.

_Who are you kidding? You can't shut out your feelings just like that_. Lizzie groaned and angrily flinging the sheet back, she leaned over to retrieve her cell from the nightstand; two missed calls and four text messages. All from Tom. Lizzie swallowed hard and scrolled through her messages.

_(Where are you? Love T)_

…

_(Some guy let me know you're out of town. Please be careful. T xxx)_

…

_(Liz, I'm worried. Please call me! Love T) _

…

_(I hate your job! Are U OK? Call me. T)_

_I hope, I won't regret this…_ Lizzie sighed aloud. She entered her contact list and pushed the speed dial for Tom's number. She gazed at the screen, waiting impatiently…

'Hi, it's me…'.

'Honey, hi! Finally!' Tom replied, his voice sounding genially concerned. 'Where are you? And when…?'

'Tom…sorry to interrupt, 'Lizzie began. '…but I can't talk long…they need me. I just called to let you I'm fine!'

'Do you know when you're coming home?'

'No…Tom, I'm sorry…I have to go!'

'Ok…love you'.

'Mmm'. Lizzie murmured, quickly ending the call.

_Asshole._

With angriness, Lizzie threw her cell back on the nightstand and headed toward the bathroom to get dressed. Standing under a fresh shower she wondered how Red would react if he found out, she had called Tom? When Lizzie stepped out onto the wooden deck, Red was already sitting there, propping a large, red strawberry in his mouth. His face lit up when he laid eyes on her and he gestured to her to take a seat.

'Ah…Lizzie…want some breakfast? These strawberries are amazing…so fresh and sweet!'

'Red…why are we here? I need to get back to DC!'

Red gently took hold of Lizzie's hand, 'Don't worry about work…just take a seat!'

For a while, they sat quietly on the deck of the overwater bungalow; the beautiful tropic morning perfect for lovers to share but Lizzie was totally unaware of her surroundings. She was toying with her fruit salad, wondering how to bring the news to Red, she had called Tom. She had stalled for some time now but finally, she looked up, taking in a deep breath.

'Red?…I have to tell you something and I'm afraid you're not going to like it!'

To her surprise, Red had been studying her quietly, his lips curling up in a smile, 'What is it Lizzie?'

'I called _him_!'

'You called _him?_' Red echoed, with slight confusion.

Lizzie pushed her fruit salad aside and leaned closer, 'I called Tom.'

Red's smile quickly faded from his face, 'That was not a smart thing to do, Lizzie!'

Lizzie angrily pushed her chair back and strode back into the bungalow.

_What was she going to do? She had left DC with one of the largest criminal minds in the world, without signing off with the Bureau and she had just confessed to him that she'd called her deceiving husband_.

'Lizzie…?'

'Oh God, please don't,' Lizzie sighed. 'No lecture about Tom. I just called to let him know I am safe…I haven't told him I have seen him with that…_that_ _bitch_!'

Red lifted his brows and shot her an intrigued smile. 'That's interesting…now we still have possibilities!'

'Are you kidding me?' Lizzie snapped at Red, irritated now. 'You men are so stupid. Do you really think you can use me to get to Tom?'

'Hmm…interesting idea!' Red smiled amusingly.

Lizzie was about to launch into an angry tirade but suddenly thought it wouldn't be best politics. Maybe she should listen what Red had to say!

'Enough! I'm hungry…let's have breakfast!' She strode back onto the deck, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves but she was barely outside when a gunshot sounded from across the water. Red who was following Lizzie outside yelled to get down but when the second shot sounded, Lizzie saw him flinch and then falter. She almost could hear the strange wet thud of a bullet hitting human flesh and in an instant, she watched Red's eyes flicker with both surprise and annoyance…then he fell backwards into the bungalow.

'_RED_…!'

Lizzie crept toward Red on her belly kicking the bungalow door closed with her left foot. She hovered over him, reaching inside his shirt pushing her hand onto the hole in his shoulder. Red ground his teeth against the pain.

'We need to get out of here,' he moaned while he struggled to get up.

'You've been shot…you need to get down,' Liz yelled.

'It's just my shoulder.' Groaning Red got to his feet and stood swaying. He took a deep breath, then another, then still another because the first two didn't work. Liz got up and grabbed Red's waist, putting his good arm over her shoulder guiding him to the bed.

'Sit down,' she ordered, '…and stay out of sight!'

She ran to the bathroom and grabbed a white towel, wetting it, rushing back to Red. Gently dabbing his wound, blood welled from the hole as fast as the water rinsed it away.

'Damn it,' she whispered, '…I can't stop this bleeding!'

Almost at the same time, the sound of a motorboat came nearer. Someone climbed onto the deck and Liz held her breath when the bungalow door flew open.

'God…Dembè!' Lizzie let out a relaxing sigh.

Dembé's black gaze quickly swept over them. 'Can you walk?' Red nodded and Dembé helped him into the boat. Whoever had been firing at them, seemed to be gone and they had no problem getting away from the bungalow. Liz supported Red, who was slowly losing consciousness while Dembé steered his boat into open water. Liz cast him a sideway glance, 'Where are you taking us?'

'Red owns a deserted island not far from here,' Dembé said calmly.

'Without any gunmen, I hope?' Liz sighed.

'No need to be afraid Agent Keen,' Dembé smiled, '…you're perfectly safe there!'

After removing the bullet, Liz watched Dembé thread a small, curved suturing needle with perfect calm.

'Ready?'

Red nodded and Liz held the edges of the wound together while Dembé deftly began stitching. Red clenched his jaw; each puncture stung, but the pain was endurable. His eyelids drooped though as he fought fatigue dragging at him.

'There!' Dembé announced calmly, tying off the last stitch. Liz studied the neat row of tiny stitches on Red's shoulder, counting ten of them. 'You should have been a doctor,' she smiled.

'Don't have the patience for it,' Dembe said while he winked at her.

Can you manage? I wanna find out who shot him,' Dembé nod his head toward Red, who had lied down.

Liz nodded, 'Sure but please be careful Dembé!'

Dembé nodded and Liz watched how the motorboat vanished in the distance. Glancing around, she shook her head. Dembé had brought them to what seemed a deserted island but hidden between the palm trees stood a beautiful wooden beach house. Lizzie hurried back into the house and found Red sitting on the edge of the bed. He was trying to get his bloody shirt off.

'Here, let me help you,' Liz said while she rushed to his side. But to her surprise Red raised his hand, 'It's ok…I've got it! Can you please get me some water?'

Liz frowned and turned to get Red a glass of water but when she was outside, she turned on her heels tiptoeing back into the room. A strangled gasp escaped when she laid eyes on Red's bare back; it was covered with burn scars.

'Red…your back!'

Red briefly closed his eyes and turned around, slowly taking in a deep breath. Liz stepped forward and carefully touched the burn scars on Red's back. '…But…but I don't understand!'

Red grabbed hold of Lizzie's hand and pulled her next to him, 'Sit down, I guess it's time we have a talk! What do you know about me Lizzie?'

Liz swallowed hard, 'What do you mean?'

Red frowned and repeated his question, 'What do you know about me…my personal life?'

Liz looked up and for a moment their eyes met; a cold, dark intelligence in Red's and an awareness that went beyond the moment, as if he knew her down to her soul.

'Y…you're Raymond Reddington,'Liz slowly began,'...you're 54 years old. You have been married once and you've had a daughter…Both, your wife and child are dead!'

Red nodded and Lizzie was struck but the dark look in his eyes. His shoulders slumped and his voice was barely audible when he started talking. 'I had just turned 25 when I met her, Katherine…_my future wife!' _Red paused. _He had learned how to shut off his memories because whenever they sneaked in, they threatened to destroy him but now he had to share them with her…she had a right to know! _

Lizzie nervously clenched her hands, staring at Red's profile.

'Go on,' she softly whispered.

'One day, Katie suggested we'd elope…I said yes and we did it! A year later, our daughter was born. Katie's father had never approved our relationship because Katie was only eighteen years old when we met. When he found out we got married, he disowned her. Her mother just stood by and let it happen.

Lizzie gathered her arms around herself, 'I can only guess as to what you thought at that time. You were both young!'

'I made a choice, Red whispered, '…and with that choice came adult responsibilities. I failed and now they're dead!'

'What happened?' Liz whispered softly.

Red shook his head, 'I couldn't keep them safe!' His strained whisper barely reached her,

'We had moved to Baltimore and for six years, we lived a good life; then Katie's dad found uw. He hired a man to kill me but when he found Katie and my daughter alone at the house, he killed them instead. I found their bodies…covered in b…blood.'

Liz held her breath. Red's head came up and his good hand swiped at tears. 'They were all I had.' Lizzie reached out to brush a tear from Red's cheek but he caught her hand and brought it to his mouth, softly kissing the back of her hand.

'Katie had a much younger sister…Katie adored her and she always regretted leaving her behind.'

'What happened to her?' Lizzie softly asked.

Red clenched his teeth and looked up, leaning closer to Elizabeth, '…She is sitting next to me!'


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: Jon Bokenkamp &amp; NBC; all rights reserved . This fanfic is a work of fiction. It details my own imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental._

Chapter 6

'_Katie had a much younger sister…Katie adored her and she always regretted leaving her behind.'_

'_What happened to her?' Lizzie softly asked._

_Red clenched his teeth and looked up, leaning closer to Elizabeth, '…She is sitting next to me!' _

Lizzie's eyes widened in shock and she clasped her hands in front of her mouth, strangling the cry that escaped her, 'Nooooo.' She stared at Red in disbelief, having trouble accepting his words. _This can't be_…she thought while feelings of confusion washed over her. Lizzie's eyes suddenly felt warm and tears started streaming down her cheeks. She slid off the bed and sat down on the wooden floor, rocking herself back and forth…_This cannot be…I'm an only child…I have no sister…no sister…I-can't-remember-her…_

Red looked down on Lizzie and his heart felt heavy. He knew the truth was shocking for her and he'd never seen her so devastated but she had a right to hear the truth so he went on; 'Katherine was my best friend. I could tell her everything. We were so happy when our daughter was born…,' Red paused for a moment to collect his demeanour but his voice cracked with emotion when he continued. 'When they were…killed,' he swallowed, '…I was heartbroken. I didn't know what to do, how to deal with their loss or how to go on,' Red said softly. 'But each day, the need for revenge, grew inside me like a cancer and so finally, I summoned up all my courage and went looking for your father!' Lizzie's head shot up and Red stopped talking. The expression on Lizzie's face, which so much reminded him of _her_, deepened into one of pain and horror. She got off the floor and sat next to him.

'Do you want me to stop?' Red asked. Lizzie didn't answer but grabbed Red's hand, giving it a soft squeeze, urging him to continue.

'That's it…be brave Lizzie! You have a right to hear!' Red cleared his throat and began talking again, glancing at Lizzie with a hint of tenderness and admiration.

'When I arrived at your parent's house, your father was standing in the garden. When he laid eyes on me, he ran inside. I guess, he knew I was coming for him! It was then that I learned from the gardener that your mother had killed herself after she had found out about Katie and her granddaughter. I was even more determined to kill _him_ but when I walked into the house, I heard beeping coming from a smoke detector. Within seconds the hallway was filled with thick, black smoke; it was like a blizzard. The smoke was so thick, I could hardly breathe…seconds later, something exploded. I ran outside turning around and that was when I saw….'

'What?' Lizzie whispered.

'A little brown haired girl…with big blue eyes, black smudges on her cheeks…her head was leaned against the window and her nostrils were flaring as if she had trouble breathing.

'You saw…_me_?' Lizzie murmured but it was more a statement than a question. Red nodded and continued, 'The moment, I entered the house, I could feel the heat against my skin; the flames fuelled by the gasoline your father had sprayed everywhere. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally found you. You were standing in the middle of your bedroom, flames licking at your hand. You were holding your favourite bunny, refusing to let go of it!'

'_STOP_!' Lizzie's breath sawed in and out of her lungs, her heart racing frantically, her body shaking with devastation. Her mind cleared slowly and she looked up at Red.

'_**You**__ saved me!_' Lizzie stammered. Red nodded and Lizzie closed her eyes, almost as if she was in a trance. She whispered, '…_I remember…the heat and pain crawling up my hand suddenly disappeared. I felt myself being picked up, one hand behind my knees and the other on my back. My eyes were closed and whoever was holding me, kept me cradled to his chest. I felt safe and secure!_' As Lizzie inhaled, her breath quivered, betraying her emotional state. Despite blinking rapidly, a stray tear trailed down her cheek. Red shifted and then she felt his finger move across her cheek catching the tear. 'I'm so sorry!' Red's voice was deep yet gentle.

'It doesn't matter.' Lizzie answered quietly, staring at the ceiling, '…my dad left me to die in a burning house!'

'I had you Lizzie…then, now and always!' Red said reassuringly. His good arm slipped around her waist and he drew her closer. Lizzie let her cheek rest against his chest; the sound of Red's heartbeat was faintly comforting, then she whispered; 'What happened to _**him**_?'

Red hunched his shoulders, clenching his teeth because he'd forgotten about his flesh wound, 'I always thought your father died in that fire but…'

'But what…' Lizzie asked hastily.

'I'm afraid, it's all connected,' Red said slowly…'Tom…Gina…everything!

'But how…?' A confused expression fell across Lizzie's face. Red shook his head and softly whispered. 'Lizzie…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!' Inwardly, Red cursed. His instincts had failed him. There was no point in worrying her…yet.

'Lizzie…let's get some sleep. My shoulder hurts like hell…If you want, we can continue our conversation in the morning?'

Liz groaned softly in frustration. She wanted to learn more about her childhood; her mind was whirling with many unanswered questions but she saw the fatigue in Red's eyes so she nodded in agreement. Red cleared his throat and Lizzie looked up, 'We only have one bed,' he said apologetic.

'That's OK,' Lizzie hurried to say, 'You take it…I'll sleep on the floor.'

'Nonsense,' Red huffed. 'This bed is large enough for the both of us.' Lizzie took a deep breath and nodded, walking to the left side of the bed, pulling back the covers. When Red blew out the last candle, she was already fast asleep.

In the middle of the night, a nightmare awoke Lizzie with a jolt. She sat straight up in the darkness, heart racing, panting as if she'd been running for her life. She pulled back the covers and immediately took a chill. Her skin was clammy and cold, her t-shirt damp with sweat. She kicked her feet over the side of the bed and sat still for a moment, then she pushed herself off the bed. Her bare feet hit the floor and she tiptoed out of the bedroom. She walked out of the house, sitting down on the sand. She felt slightly light-headed. There were so many thoughts in her head, she didn't know what to do with. They needed to be filed in the correct places but for that she needed sleep, but she knew, she just couldn't. Lizzie sighed and got up, walking onto the dark, but still warm sand. The familiar aroma of salt water, and the sound of the waves lapping against the shore slowly soothed her anxiety. A slight smile waded over her lips as she neared the edge of the water. Tentatively, she stepped closer, allowing the waves to splash over her ankles, breathing a soft sigh. Without so much of a thought, she pulled her T-shirt over her head, slid off her panties and dove into the water. She stayed under water for a few seconds before drifting up to the surface. The temperature of the water was perfect. Cool to be refreshing, yet warm enough not to take her breath away. As Lizzie broke the surface, she stroked her hair out of her eyes and that was when she saw Red. He was standing on the beach, watching her. Lizzie swam back until she realized she was naked. She inwardly cursed.

'Red? I need to get my clothes. Can you turn around…please?' Lizzie wasn't sure if Red had heard her because he kept staring at her. Lizzie then waded toward the beach. Red couldn't take his eyes off Lizzie; the moonlight kissed her skin, and he could just about swear, she glowed. Although, she was still in the water, Red could see, her cheeks were flushed. She was embarrassed because he saw her naked. Red smiled but scooped up her clothes, holding them to his chest. Lizzie groaned but walked out of the water toward him, arms outstretched. Red let himself look at her; first the curves of her small but firm breasts, her curvy waist and her long, muscular legs.

'You shouldn't swim alone,' he softly said. 'There are sharks in these waters. Next time, warn me so I can keep an eye out for them!' Red turned on his heels but halted abruptly. His body tensed as he stared into the darkness.

'Red…what's wrong?'

'Were not alone.' Red pushed Lizzie back and began walking fast along the beach. Shocked, Lizzie stared after him for a few seconds before understanding kicked in. She cursed when she saw a dark shadow run away. Lizzie raced after Red, the sand shifting beneath her feet. Since she was faster than Red, she tackled the shadow; a man. Lizzie and the man hit the sand with a thudding impact. Then Red spun him over. 'Who the hell are you?'

'Get off me!' The man yelled. He tried to swing at Lizzie. A terrible mistake. Red's fist drove down and he hit the man in the face. Once. Twice. Two powerful blows!

'Again…' Red snapped. 'Who are you?'

'GET OFF M…AAH…I'M…F-.B-I!' Then he started whining, 'Crap, you broke my nose!'

'I'm about to break a whole lot more,' Red snapped. Lizzie flinched. She'd never heard Red's voice sound that way. Lethal. Deadly.

'How did you know we're here?' Red asked him, his hand still poised to punch.

'Fuck off!'

Red's fist plunged down again. He seemed to have forgotten about his shoulder completely.

'RED!' Lizzie lunged forward, grabbing Red's hand. 'Stop!'

'Aahh…' The FBI-agent moaned, while a dark shadow streaked down his face. _Blood…definitely blood_…Lizzie thought while she tried to drag Red off the guy. But Red didn't move.

'How did you know?' Red bit out while he finally let go of the agent. The man stumbled to his feet, putting his hand to his nose, obviously trying to stop the blood flow.

'Cooper sent you!' Red said flatly…'…But how…?'

The man's shoulders jerked. 'Agent Keen…she has a chip in her cell!'

Red cursed…._how stupid had he been_…then he turned to the FBI-agent, 'Get the hell off this island…you're on private property!'

'But…Y..you and agent Keen are supposed to—'?

'I'm not repeating myself,' Red said calmly, clenching his jaw. The FBI-agent sighed but ran along the beach, jumping into a small motorboat, disappearing into the darkness, waves pounding against the shore.

'Now what?' Lizzie asked.

'Let me deal with this,' Red said calmly.


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: Jon Bokenkamp &amp; NBC; all rights reserved . This fanfic is a work of fiction. It details my own imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental._

Chapter 7

Red woke with a start, inhaling sharply and filling his lungs with much needed oxygen, the nightmare that woke him still vivid on his mind; Lizzie had been shot by a faceless man who'd plunged her lifeless body into the ocean. She had vanished beneath the waves right in front of Red's eyes…_Lizzie_. Red's gaze shot to her but she was still sleeping peacefully next to him despite everything that had happened to them. Red fought the urge to wake her, ask her if she was alright but almost immediately decided she needed her sleep more. Instead, he swung his legs out of bed and snug out of the bedroom. Carefully tiptoeing across the wooden floor, he stepped outside and walked along the secluded beach. Sitting down on a large chunk of driftwood, he gazed out over the ocean which was barely distinguishable between the darkness of the vanishing night and the dawning of a new day. From the outside in, Red felt the darkness bleeding into his soul as he relived the events of the previous day…_who had shot him_? He had his suspicions but could that really be? In the distance, thunder rolled and the ocean crashed onto the beach in answer. Red watched it all as a conductor, as though it were his emotions orchestrated by mother nature. Wind whipped around him and stung his cheeks but he did not react. Like waves, memories from the past tumbled in and dragged him away but by the time the sun had reached the horizon, he had made up his mind. He would do anything to keep Lizzie safe and by his side…

Liz had no idea how long she had been sleeping but when she opened her eyes, she heard voices…muffled voices. She couldn't quite make out the words but Red's voice was definitely one of them. She propped herself up on her elbows but the creaking of the bed stilled the voices.

'Who's there?' she asked sleepily.

'It's okay Lizzie…it's Dembé,' Red replied.

Lizzie eased herself off the bed and stepped outside. 'What's going on?' she asked.

'It's time to leave,' Red said…'You're not safe here!'

'_**We**_'_**re**_ not safe here,' Lizzie corrected him.

Red nodded and cringed as Lizzie suddenly touched his shoulder. 'You're bleeding again!' Red's shirt was stained and blood was seeping through it.

'Take it off,' Lizzie said. 'Since he's here…Dembé should check your wound.' Red grabbed his shirt and slid it off his shoulder, softly groaning because the movement hurt more than he'd expected. Dembé carefully touched Red's shoulder and nodded, 'Nothing serious…you've just torn a stitch!' Lizzie chuckled slightly annoyed, 'Yeah, that probably happened when you hit that guy senseless last night.' If her remark was meant to goad Red into an apology, he totally ignored her remark and didn't so much as lift a brow. Instead he turned to Dembé, 'Is she ready to set sail?' Red gestured toward the bay where a white sailing yacht lay anchored. He chuckled internally as he saw Lizzie's jaw drop with confusion.

'She was a little rusty but she's definitely seaworthy now,' Dembé said quietly. Lizzie's eyes narrowed to a squint, 'What's the meaning of all this?'

Red chuckled and tilted his head to one side, 'Don't worry Lizzie. I'm gonna tell you but first I want some breakfast…I'm starving. You want some freshly squeezed oranges too? They're right from the tree…simply delicious!'

'Dembé, I want to thank you for everything,' Red said, enunciating the words. 'Your loyalty towards me is heart wrenching and your courage commendable!' Dembé took in a deep breath, 'You know I would do anything for you Raymond but I'm also worried. Is this really a good idea?' Red's mouth tightened, 'No one can find us where we're going, that's for sure!'

Dembé lowered his gaze upon Lizzie who sat silent and motionless at the table. 'You know, she's gonna throw a tantrum when she wakes up. What did you put in her orange juice?' Red shrugged his shoulders, 'Just a few sleeping pills but I had no choice. She would never have come voluntarily!'

Dembé was silent for a moment and then nodded, 'I wish you luck my friend but please be careful!' Red nodded and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Dembé, giving him a big hug and a kiss on his cheeks.

Lizzie woke with a start but within seconds her rolling stomach snagged her attention. She had to throw up! She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stumbled onto the deck, pushing past Reddington. She leaned over the railing and retched. It seemed to be coming all the way from her intestines. Her stomach cramped down hard, causing her to moan even when she was finished. Her head throbbed in time with her heart, fast and hard like blows of a hammer. The acidic taste of bile coated her mouth but then she felt a cool towel settle at the base of her neck and a glass of water held before her.

'Drink,' Red ordered. Lizzie took the glass, then stood, her legs wobbling beneath her. She leaned over the railing and rinsed her mouth out.

'Better?' Red asked. Lizzie nodded and then straightened, 'What the hell did you do to me and where are we?'

'We're on a yacht,' Red smiled with a smug expression on his face. 'And don't worry, your seasickness is just temporary!'

'I can see we're on a yacht.' Lizzie rolled her eyes at his smart replies. 'But where are we going?'

Red didn't reply immediately. Instead he curled his mouth up in a little grin watching Lizzie out of the corner of his eye, 'Nowhere in particular…just keeping us safe!'

'_To Sail across the ocean on a boat surrounded by sea with no land in sight. Without even the possibility of sighting land for days to come. To stand at the helm of your destiny. I want that one more time…'_

_Raymond Reddington _

Ten days! Nearly a fortnight at sea and they still hadn't seen land…just water. Raymond had promised her no more than a week on his godforsaken boat and now… A sigh parted Lizzie's lips as she stared out of the porthole, seeing nothing but water. She kept wondering why Raymond had decided to leave Bora Bora so abruptly and she secretly hoped he would tell her; it was nothing like Raymond Reddington to go on the run, not for anyone. Suddenly, Lizzy gasped; did she really think of him as Raymond while normally she was used to call him Red or Reddington and why the heck did she spent so much time thinking of him? If Raymond had been at all as Tom Keen, she might have understood. Tom had been lean and tall, four inches over six feet, with thick hair that turned to spun gold in the sun and his eyes had been a deep blue that had melted her every time he'd looked at her.

Raymond Reddington was average in height, his blue/greyish eyes framed by lines drawn by laughter and age. His hair was a very short brown/greyish…at least what she could see of it. Mostly it was hidden by his hat…_his Fedora_, she corrected herself. Never in a million years had she anticipated being interested in a man as Raymond Reddington…but she was!

'_LIZZIE_?'

Lizzie snapped out of her reverie when Red pounded on the cabin roof. It took her a minute to collect her thoughts but then she hurried outside. A dark, threatening sky greeted her and waves were crashing against the yacht. Red called out over the gusting wind, 'There's rough weather ahead…Can you take the helm while I reef the main sail?'

Lizzie nodded and stepped behind the heavily chromed helm wheel while Red untied the main sail. Suddenly a crash of thunder, followed by sudden lightning zigzagged across the dark sky. The wind picked up even more and rain started pelting down on them steadily. The storm continued into the night and Red urged Lizzie to get some sleep but she refused determinedly.

'I am not leaving you!'

'That's my girl,' Red smiled approvingly.

The wind-driven rain, the constant crashing sound of rolling thunder accompanied by sudden flashes of lighting filled their entire world for hours and hours to come. They had no time to talk; just look, listen and feel all that was going on around them.

It was close to dawn when the storm seemed less intense. 'Am I imagining things or is it getting better?' Lizzie asked.

Red nodded, 'I think it is…the rain and wind are definitely slacking off so I think the worst is behind us!'

'We've made it,' Lizzie sighed. 'It shouldn't have lasted any longer. I'm worn out.' Red smiled and encouragingly wrapped an arm around Lizzie's shoulder, 'You did good! I'm glad you're here with me!'

Lizzie smiled up into Red's face, then impulsively flung her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. Taken by surprise, it took Red a moment to catch his breath but then he grabbed Lizzie's hands.

'What was that for?' He asked.

'I…I…dunno,' Lizzie stammered clearly embarrassed…_what was she doing_? Her icy cold hands started to warm against Red's and for a moment, she closed her eyes.

'Why did you kiss me?' Red asked again.

Swallowing hard, Lizzie wanted to pull her hands from Red's but she couldn't. He was holding them tight, waiting for an answer.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…Please let me go inside…I'm cold,' Lizzie whispered, making an effort to free herself from his grasp.

'I want you,' Red said suddenly. 'I have wanted you since I first saw you in that box at the Post Office. Sometimes, I even dream of you…thinking about what your naked body would look like. Feel like. Taste like but….' Red slowly shook his head.

Heat flooded Lizzie and she tried fighting it…fighting the overwhelming pleasure of his words. She swallowed hard and looked up to him. '…But what?'

Red's wry smile was heart-breaking and he turned his back to Lizzie, 'This can never happen. You know what I am…I am a criminal. You're my wife's sister…We can never be together…It wouldn't be right!'

Moving behind Reddington, Lizzie encircled Red's waist with her arms, pressing her cheeks between his shoulder blades, 'My sister is gone…I am here!'

Red's shirt was soaked but she felt his warm skin through the wet fabric. Red straightened, the muscles in his back tensing at Lizzie's touch but she still held on.

'Lizzie…please!' Red turned to face her, that too familiar look in his eyes, 'If people know you're with me, they will hurt you to get back at me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything would happen to you!'

'You'd keep me safe!' Lizzie whispered. When Red tried to pull out of her arms, she moved with him, refusing to let go. Red scowled, 'If I'm with you, I'll put you in even more danger.'

He sighed but tilted his head until his forehead was touching hers.

'We…I…can't…'

Lizzie reached up and cupped Red's cheek, her forehead still touching his, 'Don't push me away!'

'I need you to be safe,' Red tried once more.

'I need you!' Pulling back slightly, Lizzie looked at Red as she said the words. He seemed more tense than ever but there was a flicker of something else in his expression too. Something that gave her the courage to keep going.

'Everyone in the world thinks you're a criminal…the concierge of crime. I know better,' Lizzie softly whispered.

'Lizzie…don't!'

'Stop me,' she challenged him. She took Red's face in her hands, 'You can't push me away Raymond. I care about you and I won't ever leave you.'

'Lizzie.' Red's voice broke as he met her eyes.

'I'm here Ray,' she whispered.

'I…can't‒'

Lizzie put her index finger over his mouth, stopping his words. Red moved her finger away, then looked at her for a long time. Then, without warning, his mouth came down on hers. Lizzie had expected a hard kiss, one with the strength of his emotions behind it, but Red kissed her softly, with a gentleness that made her wonder how long she could keep standing.

'Lizzie,' he breathed against her lips. He reached up and cupped the back of her head while he kept on kissing her, gently nibbling at her lips and teasing her with his tongue. Suddenly, he reached down, cupping her behind her knees, swinging her up in his arms and carrying her below deck. When he put her to her feet, Lizzie pulled her wet t-shirt over her head. She hadn't been wearing a bra so when Red laid eyes on her breasts, she heard him inhale sharply. Reaching up, he traced her collarbone with feather light touches, tracing a line from the hollow of her throat in between her breasts. Then, he pulled Lizzie to him and lowered his head to kiss her neck.

'Red...' Lizzie whispered she started unfastening his shirt buttons. She tugged the shirt free from his waistband and ran her hands up his bare chest. Red's head shot up and his mouth quirked up in his signature grin, 'Are you sure you want this?' He whispered as he caught her earlobe between his teeth.

Lizzie gasped as goose bumps rose across her skin from his kisses so she could only nod. Stepping away from him, she hooked her thumb in the waistband of her jeans and tugged, lifting her legs until her wet jeans and panties were lying in a puddle at her feet.

Red's eyes grew heavy-lidded and an encouraging smile was playing on his lips when he whispered, 'You're beautiful!'

Red chucked his shirt in one easy movement and got rid of the rest of his clothes so they were both naked and then she was in his arms, kissing as would they never stop. Lizzie pressed her lips to Red's chest, his skin wet and salty. His hands touched her everywhere, warming her, setting her on fire. She closed her eyes, hearing the distant storm roaring in her ears, the water lapping around the yacht and she felt as if she was floating in a warm sea of delight.

At first, Red just held Lizzie in his arms, liking the feel of her soft skin against his bare flesh, the feel of her peaked breasts against his chest and the feel of her silky legs against his thighs. He was definitely turned on but he knew he wanted to take his time with her. He wanted…no needed it to be right. One of his arms was encircling her waist and he ran his fingers across her shoulder. The way her body tensed told him when he reached a sensitive spot. When he softly caressed her breasts, he felt her body begin to twitch. Every signal from Lizzie's body sent signals through him and he knew he was ready but he wanted her to be ready too! Her nipples were hard under his caresses but he still wanted more. He wanted to touch her…everywhere. When his mouth covered her breast, her hips glided against him and he softly groaned. She was setting him on fire. Pulling her down on the bed, he pulled her leg over his hip and moved his hand between her legs. She moaned and twisted as her neared her sensitive spot and when he found it, she moaned again.

'Touch me…please touch me,' she whispered.

Her voice made him harder and he slowly pushed his fingers inside her wetness. She was slick with moisture and that turned him on even more. He moved between her legs, leaning over her, 'Are you sure?'

She nodded and put her hands on his shoulders. Red leaned down and she could feel him against her, hot and heavy, pressing, filling her, sliding in a little at a time and then withdrawing, only to push inside her again, deeper this time. He kept on going, shallow thrusts and then withdrawing until Lizzie's fingernails dug into his shoulders. She whispered something and Red wasn't sure what. It might have been 'love' or 'please'.

Lizzie arched her hips, trying to pull him in deeper but Red simply caught and held her, moving in and out, deeper and yet not deep enough, his pace taunting and incredibly arousing. Lizzie was wet, sleek and needy and she wrapped her arms around him, softly whimpering. Her body was hard with tension and they both were covered in sweat, but still he wouldn't finish it. He teased her till the point of madness.

'Lizzie…look at me,' Red finally whispered. She opened her eyes and stared up into Red's. Her breath stopped as he thrust into her, filling her completely. Lizzie moaned and no longer clawed at Red's shoulders. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him with pure abandon.

She had never felt such emotions as Red kept thrusting inside her. She pushed her hips up to meet him and tears started to roll down her face although she didn't quite know why.

Red moved faster now, harder and she spread her legs, all of her life concentrating on the joining of their bodies, pulsing, surging together. Red could feel his lust raging like a fire. Thrusting harder and deeper, he revelled in Lizzie's heat encasing his erection. He looked down to capture her mouth. They kissed and when their tongues met, he mimicked the rhythm of his hips, sending erotic tremors through her. Lizzie's body writhed as the release finally came, and she cried out Red's name. He tensed and the passion returned once more as he climaxed too, then they both went still, breathless and exhausted.

After a few minutes, Red pulled a blanket over Lizzie, tugging her close and spooning her, his hand sliding possessively over her waist. Lizzie smiled. Here she was, in the middle of the ocean, pressed up against Raymond Reddington. She turned around and when she looked at him, she saw not a criminal…not the concierge of crime but a man who had just made passionate love to her. A man who gazed at her with the same deep affection. One thing was sure, Lizzie thought before she drifted off to sleep…she had definitely fallen in love with him…


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: Jon Bokenkamp &amp; NBC; all rights reserved . This fanfic is a work of fiction. It details my own imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental._

Chapter 8

Waking up the next morning, Lizzie yawned, stretching out sleepily. She tensed as her foot touched something warm, immediately realizing that 'something warm' was Red. He shifted beside her, an arm snaking slowly around her waist as he pulled her tightly against his chest, his sleepy, sensual voice whispering, 'Morning!'

A shiver went up Lizzie's spine as he trailed wet kisses up her neck to whisper in her ear, 'Did you sleep OK?' Her lips curled up in a smile, 'Yes, I did. Very well…Thank you.'

'No regrets about last night?'

Lizzie rolled onto her back to look at him. She adamantly shook her head as she snaked her arms around his neck, 'None whatsoever!'

'Good!' Red whispered. He kept Lizzie's gaze as his mouth slowly descended down on hers.

After hours of passionate lovemaking, Lizzie propped her chin upon Red's chest, looking up at him. He was lying on his back, one hand behind his head and one hand by his side. His breathing was still laboured and sweat was beading his forehead. Slowly, Lizzie raised her hand to touch the small scar in his neck where she'd once stuck him with a pen. Red had his eyes closed and his long lashes cast fine shadows against the curve of his cheekbones. His mouth curled into an amusing smile as if he sensed Lizzie was secretly watching him.

'Red…can I ask you a question?' Lizzie asked hesitantly.

'Sure, sweetheart. What's on your mind?'

'What was she like‒ my sister, I mean?'

Lizzie's question had a casual tone but Red tightly clenched his jaw. Unfortunately, it did nothing to the intense pain he suddenly felt; a familiar pain that was nestled deeply in his gut.

'Katherine was my…_everything_!' he mumbled after a while.

Lizzie nodded and after a moment, she asked, 'Is she buried somewhere? Can I visit her grave, maybe lay some roses?...Red ones,' she added with a smile.

'She was cremated,' Red said bluntly, '…together with our…!' He made a strange sound deep in his throat. Red's sorrow for the loss of his wife and daughter was buried deeply within but Lizzie could still sense how much it affected him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him tightly against her, 'I'm sorry…I didn't mean to‒'

'Lizzie, listen to me,' Red suddenly said, drawing back from her embrace until he could see her eyes, 'The loss of Katherine and my daughter nearly destroyed me…and I never thought anything could fill the void in my heart caused by their deaths…but then I found my way to you!' Red's voice was barely a whisper. Lizzie raised her hand to Red's face, gently wiping away a stray tear from his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in the crook of her neck, clamping his eyes shut. _I can never lose you too_,' he thought as he held on to her.

'Don't ever leave me,' he whispered his voice raw with emotion.

Lizzie lovingly stroked Red's scared back, 'I won't!'

'I love you!'

The words were almost like a breath in Lizzie's ear but she'd heard them clearly. Her body quivered in response and she closed her eyes.

'You don't have to say it back,' Red said softly after a while. 'I know I can be a bit…overwhelming!'

'For always…?' Lizzie murmured.

Red's head shot up.

'Because I love you too Red…forever!' She added.

Red gripped Lizzie's face in both hands and held her away from him, trying with his eyes to tell her how he felt but couldn't find the words instead, he leaned down and tenderly kissed her.

Red carried two mugs of steaming coffee up the stairway to the deck to find Lizzie lost in thought at the helm. Halting, he amusingly watched her_._

'You're deeply lost in thought,' he smiled.

'Mmm…yes,' Lizzie's cheeks flushed and she looked slightly embarrassed.

'So, what were you thinking off?' Red asked, his mouth curling up in a mischievous smile. 'This?' He put down the mugs and pulled Lizzie into his arms.

'In fact, I was,' Lizzie said with a twinkle in her eyes, 'I love making love to you.'

She tilted her head to look at him. Red smiled and cupped her face gently in his palms, stroking his thumbs over her rosy cheeks, 'I love making love to you too!' Red's grin was irresistible as he gallantly gestured for her to go below deck but then the distinctive sound of the yacht's satellite phone rang down below. The sat phone had been a concession to Dembé, who had urged him to take the damn thing with him.

'Excuse me?'

Red hurried down below deck, scowling at the small screen as he realized it wasn't even Dembé on the other line. He picked up and held the receiver to his ear.

‒…‒

'Raymond…is that you?'

Red closed his eyes and exhaled. 'Mr. Kaplan. What can I do for you?'

_Mr. Kaplan was considered a close friend and probably the only person – next to Dembé – who could call him_.

'It's not good news,' Mr. Kaplan said and now Red noticed the tremor in her voice. When she spoke again, she sounded worried, 'You have to come back Red. I…We need you here!'

Red frowned, 'What's going on Kate?'

'Dembé's in the hospital. He's been shot!'

Red's surroundings were completely forgotten and all of his attention was now focused to the connection to Mr. Kaplan.

'Kate…is he gonna be OK?'

'I dunno. Look, I have to go now. The doctor wants to talk. Just get back here Red!'

'What happened? Who shot him? Kate‒?'

But the line was dead…

Red climbed back on deck, his face set into a worried frown. Lizzie, immediately sensing his mood change hurried to him, looking up into his eyes, 'What is it?' she softly asked.

'It's Dembé! They shot him!' Red said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. Lizzie stared at him blankly, 'What…but how?'

'I don't know anything, 'Red sighed, 'Mr. Kaplan just called. We have to get back to Washington…now!' Lizzie nodded in agreement.

Lizzie came out of the yacht's cabin and up on the deck. For a moment, she stood still, letting her body adjust to the rocking motion and the change in temperature. She'd slept deeply and the cool, salty air and wind upon deck quickly woke her. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the night, she could see Red clearly outlined in the moonlight at the helm.

He hadn't noticed her and tensed as she softly touched his shoulder. He had been sailing for 12 hours straight and the sleep deprivation was getting to him.

'You have to get some sleep Red!'

Red sighed and rubbed his eyes but did not protest when Lizzie took the wheel from his hands.

'You sure you can manage?' He asked. Lizzie nodded and Red showed her the course they were on.

'I've got it!' Lizzie nodded confidently. Red nodded but instead of going down below deck, he slowly walked up to the bow of the yacht where the rocking motion and wind both increased rapidly. Grabbing the railing on both sides, he tilted his head backwards. Salt spray from the rise and fall of the yacht struck his face and chest and as the cool water began to evaporate, his mind became clearer and clearer. Lizzie was watching him and a shiver went down her spine because the grim expression on his face left nothing to the imagination and she was sure he was thinking how soon he would be able to get his revenge on who ever had shot Dembé!

Red was jolted by Lizzie's voice. It took him a few seconds to get to his senses but then he was up and above deck. The bright sun overhead produced a glare on the water that blinded him but then towards the east and just over the horizon, he could see the outline of a distant shore. Using global positioning, they identified the main land as Mexico. Finally, early in the evening, the lights of Mazatlán were visible in the distance. Slowly, Red and Lizzie entered the harbour and made their way to the sailboat docks. Red carefully covered up the sails and zipped up the red sail covers. After unloading, they notified the harbour master and headed by foot for downtown Mazatlán.

Since they could not fly earlier to Washington DC than the next day, Red had booked them a suite at the Casa Lucilla and Lizzie watched him while he stood at the sink, shaving. She got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom, resting her chin on his shoulder and gazing into the mirror at his reflection, 'Red you haven't said three words since we arrived…Are you OK?'

Red took a towel and wiped the remnants of shaving soap from his face before he brushed past Lizzie, heading back into the bedroom to get dressed.

Lizzie followed him, 'Please…talk to me Red?' She pushed against his chest and for a moment, his clean fresh scent clouded her mind but Red zipped up his pants and walked to the bed to pick up his dress shirt.

'Red? I respect your anger but come on…I love you, remember?' She sank down onto the bed, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Red cleared his throat, '…I'm just afraid for you Lizzie! I can't let anything happen to you.' He knelt down before her and raised his hand to her chin where his thumb tenderly traced her lower lip, 'I would rather die before I bring harm to you!'

Red cupped her face and when his lips touched hers, she softly moaned 'cause Red tasted so fresh and clean and seductive. She slid off the bed and held onto him, her lower belly moving sensually against his groin. The sensation triggered such a sudden surge of heat in Red, he had trouble controlling his physical reaction. But when Lizzie moved again, his control was gone. She glanced up at him and could see the sudden lust in his eyes. Heat was pounding through his blood, making him so hard, it almost hurt. Lizzie said nothing but grabbed Red's hand, guiding it lower, underneath the towel she had wrapped around her body. She moved her legs apart and sighed as she felt his hand hot against her naked skin.

'This isn't the time Liz!'

'We still have this night,' Lizzie simply whispered.

'Sweetheart ‒,' Red tried once more.

Lizzie shook her head and lowered Red's zipper, watching him as she did. The look in her eyes erased what little control he had left and a groan involuntarily escaped him. Impatiently, Lizzie's hand drifted down to his abdomen, shoving his pants down over his ass.

Without further foreplay, She straddled Red. He felt her settle over his hard erection, coating him with her wetness. He angled his hips forward and Lizzie's mouth opened in a soundless sigh, her eyes drifting shut at the divine pleasure. Her body began to move on top of Red's, slowly at first, with long, deliberate strokes up and down his hard arousal. Red leaned forward and sucked a peaked nipple into his mouth, eliciting a gasp from Lizzie's throat. She ground her hips against him and as if he'd read her mind, he reached between their joined bodies to massage her tingling nub. A single brush of his skilled fingers was all it took and Lizzie came. Hard.

Her feminine muscles convulsed around Red's erection, sending sparkles of pleasure through both of them. Lizzie arched her back from the force of the climax and her breathing was laboured and fast.

Beneath Lizzie, Red kept watching her, pumping harder and harder into her. Her orgasm triggered his and Lizzie had the pleasure of watching him come right before her eyes. When the last pulses of their orgasms pulsed through their bodies, Lizzie wrapped her arms around Red, kissing his neck. She felt his fingers slide down her back.

'Satisfied?' he teased, his breathing still ragged.

Lizzie smiled and settled more firmly against him, 'For the moment.' Red grinned amusingly.

Lizzie closed her eyes and thought…_If we could only stay in this moment_.


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: Jon Bokenkamp &amp; NBC; all rights reserved . This fanfic is a work of fiction. It details my own imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental._

Chapter 9

Red entered the grey and white private room at the safe house slowly, the hollow echo of his footsteps the only sounds in the room but his steady stride faltered and stopped abruptly as his eyes fell on the tall figure lying rigid on the white mattress. For a moment, the sight of an unconscious Dembé paralyzed Red's body and mind in a flood of racing emotions; compassion, disgust, love, remorse but above all; anger! Taking a deep breath, Red managed to choke them down…at least for now!

'Dembé…?' Red whispered softly as he neared the bed, 'It's me…Raymond!'

Dembé didn't respond.

'Dembé…?' Red tried again, leaning closer to Dembé's ear, clutching his big hand in his.

'I..Isabella…Isabella?' Dembé murmured turning his head from side to side, his eyes still closed. Red frowned and lowered his head. When Mr. Kaplan entered the room, she found Red sitting on the bed with Dembé cradled in his arms. His face was bent next to Dembé's ear and he was whispering soft words of comfort.

Red didn't look up.

'Is he going to make it?' He suddenly said without moving his position.

'They're doing everything they can but he's lost a lot of blood,' Mr. Kaplan spoke softly. Red looked up, 'Who's responsible for this Kate?'

Mr. Kaplan shook her head, 'I dunno Raymond…I found him like this at your apartment in Bethesda. He'd nearly bled to death!'

'I shouldn't have left,' Red said.

'It wasn't your fault,' Mr. Kaplan hurried to say, 'Don't take this upon yourself Raymond. Dembé knew your main concern was Elisabeth's safety! There was nothing you could have done!'

Red turned around and looked at Mr. Kaplan now; really looked at her for the first time she'd stepped into the room, 'That doesn't make it easier!'

Mr. Kaplan sighed, 'Stop blaming yourself Raymond. Dembé can take care of himself. This was just misfortune. Most important now is getting him better and on his feet again!'

Red nodded grimly, 'You're right! Listen Kate…call me if he wakes up. I have to get back to Elisabeth now!'

'Where are you staying?' Mr. Kaplan asked.

'Were staying at DeBourge upon Johnson Street,' Red replied. Mr. Kaplan nodded while Red turned and left the room.

Red walked down the hallway of the Guesthouse and softly knocked. The door opened almost instantly at his knock, 'God…I'm glad you're back!' Taking his hand, Lizzie drew Red inside. He smiled and held out his arms, while Lizzie hurried into them. She laid her head against his chest and took comfort in the strong and steady beat of his heart.

'How is Dembé?'

'Not good,' Red sighed while he kissed Lizzie temple. 'He's lost a lot of blood.'

'I'm sorry.' Lizzie mumbled, '…but Dembé is strong. I'm sure he'll get through this.' Red nodded and tucked his head down, kissing Lizzie's neck, 'I'm so glad I have you,' he whispered.

A soft knock on the door drew Red's attention immediately to it. He let go of Lizzie and reached for his gun, ready to draw it.

'Who is it?' Lizzie asked.

'_Room service ma'am…it's dinnertime'_ was the answer on the other side of the door. Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Red. She opened the door and allowed the room service waiter to roll in a service tray. He lifted the lids. The plates were filled with roasted lobster tails, cherry tomatoes and bitter greens with a vinaigrette. Next to the bread basket was a bottle of Chardonnay.

'Is there anything else you need, Mr. Kenneth?' the room service waiter asked.

'No, that'll be all.' Red handed him a hefty tip and watched the waiter exit the room. He picked up the bottle of Chardonnay and gestured with it to Lizzie, 'Would you like a glass?' Lizzie nodded and Red poured them each a glass.

…

A dull pounding invaded Red's dream, and it seemed a long time before he realized it came from his head. He slowly opened his eyes but the room was dark. _Lizzie_ was his first thought but he was alone in the room. Red pulled himself up from the cold floor and looked around the room for her again, yet she wasn't there. Red felt unbalanced as he raised himself to his feet and his eyes fell upon the empty bottle of Chardonnay. He had to been drugged in some way. Red cursed and grabbed the cork; in the middle was a small puncture like from a syringe. How could he have been so stupid?

_He had been drugged and someone had taken Lizzie!_

Red went into the bathroom and splashed some water in his face. He looked into the mirror; his face a mask of anger. He clenched his teeth and grabbed his gun before leaving the room. On his way down, he passed the kitchen and killed the waiter with one single shot to the head. Red cruised the streets of Washington for little over an hour until he finally pulled into a parking lot.

…

Late in the evening, with the sun already set, Aram arrived at his apartment building at the Potomac. Readjusting his shoulder pack, he lifted his bike.

'Have a good one,' Aram smiled, giving a quick glance at the janitor at the entrance of his building.

'Thank you Sir!'

Aram gave the janitor a nod and carried his bike to the elevator bay. While taking the elevator down to the basement to store his bike, his thoughts went to Elizabeth Keen. He wondered where she was and what she was doing. It was a pity, she'd had left the Bureau but he was convinced she was in good hands with Mr. Reddington.

Aram took the elevator to his floor and exited. He walked to his apartment and as he opened the front door, he heard click and a wssshhh. His backpack fell to the floor when someone pulled him inside by his arm.

'Woehaa…w…what?'

Aram blinked quickly as if he wanted his eyesight to clear but then he recognized the man in front of him. He was pointing a gun at his head.

'Mr. Reddington?'

'Are you alone Aram?' Red asked.

Aram nodded and closed the door quickly behind him, 'Alone?...Yes, I am!' Realizing there was no thread, Red lowered the gun to his side. Aram noticed Red's face was full of concern as he walked into the room and placed his gun down on the coffee table.

'Mr. Reddington…what is going on? Where is Elizabeth?' Aram asked, a bit alarmed now.

Red's expression was grim as he looked up, 'She has been taken! And that is why I need your help Aram.'

Red explained to Aram what had happened and almost immediately, Aram pulled out his laptop and powered it up.

'Where were you staying?' Aram asked.

'Debourge upon Johnson Street!' Aram nodded and logged in to a centralized monitoring centre in control of all the surveillance cameras. The footage showed a man and woman pushing a female into a white van which Aram traced to an abandoned warehouse. The one Red knew, Tom Keen had been staying.

'Thank you Aram, you have been very helpful,' Red hurried to say when he snatched up his gun and made his way to the door.

'B…but Mr. Reddington…Shouldn't I call agent Ressler?'

'NO!' Red grabbed Aram by his shoulder, 'Don't alarm anyone…I'll take care of this!' Aram nervously cleared his throat but nodded his agreement.

Red left his car and headed down a narrow alleyway that passed behind the abandoned warehouse. He moved into a small alcove between two of the buildings, dropping to the ground to sit with his back against the stone brick wall. He closed his eyes and thought of Lizzie. Suddenly, a noise forced Red to open his eyes. He listened sharply: it were the soft clicks of a woman's heels. Red gazed into the dimly lit alley, the only light coming from the full moon overhead. He heard footsteps coming closer. Red held his breath and two figures walked past the small alcove where he was hiding. Red nearly gasped when he recognized Tom Keen and Gina Zanetakos. He wanted to kill them both but his instinct told him to stand his ground. When they had rounded the corner, Red slowly rose from the ground in the alcove and crept to the entrance of the apartment building. He immediately dismissed his thought of barging in so he looked upward to find a way onto the roof. Red entered the alcove again and peered upward. He hadn't brought any rope with him, but the alcove was narrow. His eyes peered into the darkness for a handhold to begin his climb. Wedging one foot on each wall, he reached up and grabbed a ledge. His fingertips ached as he moved his feet higher. It took Red forever to climb onto the roof but he had no other choice; he had to get Lizzie back. His fingertips were raw and bleeding but he wiped the blood on his clothes and ignored the pain. He walked cautiously along the roof while his eyes scanned the roof for any type of hatch that might allow access into the warehouse but he couldn't find one. Red moved to the edge of the roof and stared down. There were several windows on the second level of the warehouse. He chose a window at random and leaned over the edge of the roof above it. He could barely see into the dark room, but he sensed nothing moving in it. Red didn't hesitate for a moment. He lowered his body over the side of the roof, just above the chosen window. Hanging from the roof, he lowered himself onto the window sill, exhaling slowly. He entered the room through the window and placed his back to the wall, his gun automatically sliding into his hand. If Lizzie was here, he would find her.

Red searched the abandoned warehouse until he came upon a small office, its door open just a slit. Peeking in, Red saw that the office was empty. He quickly slipped inside and shut the door, double checking to make sure that there was no one in the office. On the fare side of the office was a trap door, not as well hidden. The door was closed but not locked. Red opened it to a loud creaking noise but continued down in the basement.

Then suddenly there was a whimper or a stifled sob…Red held his breath and listened intently.

To be continued…


End file.
